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| Photo shows dramatic fall in the level of Georgian Bay at Port McNicol. Georgian Bay is part of Lake Huron. The water level is usually up to the large flat rocks. Photo - Steve Davey |
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| Photo shows dramatic fall in the level of Georgian Bay at Port McNicol. Georgian Bay is part of Lake Huron. The water level is usually up to the large flat rocks. Photo - Steve Davey |
The US Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada announced April 27 the release of comprehensive, bi-national plans to protect and restore Lakes Erie, Michigan and Superior. The Lakewide Management Plans (LaMPs) address problems in the entire ecosystem of each lake, rather than focusing on polluted hot spots.
The Lakewide Management Plans outline the environmental status of each lake, highlight successes, identify problems, and propose solutions. Because of the evolving nature of the lakes, the plans will be updated every two years.
The release of the LaMPs coincides with the release of the Lake Ontario Lakewide Management Plan Update and the Lake Huron Initiative Report.
"The plans are essentially snapshots of what we know about each lake at this time. It has become apparent that we cannot solely rely on traditional regulatory activities to solve the lakes' complex problems," said EPA regional administrator Francis Lyons. "Effective solutions will require a broader approach. In fact, some activities will be accomplished more effectively at the community level by private citizens and local governments, while others will require more international cooperation."
The Great Lakes contain almost 20 percent of the fresh water on the planet and provide drinking water to more than 25 million people in the US and Canada. While there has been a reduction in pollutants entering the lakes over the last 30 years, complex problems remain.
Each lake has its unique concerns, but certain problems affect all the lakes - contaminated sediments, exotic species, and airborne pollutants. Many of these problems originate outside the Great Lakes basin.
This article was abridged from Environmental Science & Engineering magazine, which also contains many more articles not posted on our Web Site. See our home page on how to order your subscription. We regret we can only accept orders from Canada and the United States.